Placard holder and support therefor



1,536,231 L. MGFADDEN I PLACARD HOLDER AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Filed April 215, 1924 May 5, 1925.

Patented May 5, 192 5.

UNITED STATES LEO MOFADDEN, OF BRISTOW, OKLAHOMA.

PLACARID HOLDER AND SUPPORT THEREFOR.

Application filed April 25, 1924. Serial No. 708,966.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEO MCFADDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bristow, in the county of Greek and State ,of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Placard Holder :and Support Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in placard holders which are principally adapted for use in connection with tank cars containing crude oil or gasoline.

Under the present laws, each tank car containing a quantity of an inflammable liquid must have pasted or otherwise supported thereon a number of placards bearing the required indicia and the same must be visible when the tank car is filled with the inflammable oil and is in the course of transportation. Usually when the tank car reaches its destination, the placards must be removed or otherwise destroyed before the empty tank car can be shipped back.

The placing of such placards on tank cars as is now done renders the operation expensive as well as necessitating the loss of considerable time and labor in both applying the placards to a filled car and removing the placards from an empty car. With my improved placard holder the required number of which may be placed on a tank car, considerable expense as well as time and labor will be saved in indicating whether or not there is oil of inflammable character contained within the tank car.

One of the important objects of the present invention is to provide a placard holder and support therefor for use in connection with tank cars containing inflammable liquid wherein the same is of such a construction as to enable the placard holder to be readily moved from an indicating to a non-indicating position in conformity to the requirements made by law in connection with the handling of inflammable liquid during transportation in tank cars.

A further object is to provide a device of the above mentioned character, which is simple in construction, inexpensive, strong and durable and furthermore adapted for the purposes for which it is designated.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary edge elevation of a tank car showing my placard holder in position thereon.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of a tank car with my invention in position thereon, parts thereof being shown in section, and

Flgure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the supporting bracket and the sleeve associated therewith.

In the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 1 designates a tank in which is adapted to be contained the inflammable liquid such as crude oil or gasoline. The tank is supported in the usual manner on the car body 2 and as the same forms no important part of the present invention it is not thought necessary to go further into detail relative to the manner in which the tank is supported on the car body. Supported on each corner of the car body 2 are the placard holders and as the same are all of substantially the same construction, the description of one is thought to sulfice for the description of all.

The numeral 3 designates a supporting bracket which has its lower end provided with an outwardly disposed portion 4: whereby the bracket may be supported on the car body 2 by any suitable fastening means such as is shown at 5. The upper end of the bracket 3 is provided with an op positely disposed extension 6 and carried by the outer end of the extension 6 is the verticall arranged sleeve 7. Formed at diametrically opposite points in the upper edge of the sleeve 7 are the notches 7, the purpose of whichwill hereinafter be more fully described.

Extending longitudinally through the sleeve 7 and adapted for rotative movement therein is the elongated rod 8, the upper portion of which is flattened as shown at 9 and upon which is adapted to be secured the placard holder 10, the fastening means therefor being sl o-wn at 11. The extreme upper end of the rod 8 terminates in the handle 12 and the purpose thereof will also hereinafter be more fully described. Carried by the intermediate portion of the rod 8 is the transversely extending pin 13, the

same extending beyond the outer face of the rod and the transversely extending pin 12 is adapted to be seated in the opposed notches 8 arranged in the upper edge of the sleeve 7. The purpose of this construction is to provide a means for preventing the rod from rotating within the sleeve 7 and so that the placard holoer 10 may be arranged either in an indicating or non-indicating position.

To further hold the transversely extending pin 13 in the notches '4" whereby the placard holder supporting rod is held in the predetermined position, i provide the lower end of the rod with a. threaoed portion 14 and on which is adapted to be threaded the nut 15. Also a ranged on the lower portion of the rod 8 below the sleeve 7 is the inverted cup shaped member 1 shaped member 17 being arranged on th lower end of the rod 8 adjacentthe nu A coil spring such as is shown at is t cles tle lower portion of the rod ar adapted to be disposed between the cup shaped members 16 and 17 respectively ant the purpose thereof is to normally force the rod downwardly with respect to the sleeve T so that the transversely extending pin 13 will be caused to seat in the notches 7. The nut may be adapted for regulating the tension of the coil spring 18 in the manner well known in the art.

Adapted to be secured to the placard holder 10 is the placard bearing the required indicia and it desired, the same may be preferably formed of tin whereby the same will be rendered strong and durable and less expensive than the ordinary paper placard now in use. hen the tank 1 is filled with the imiammal'ale liquid and is ready for shipment, the placard holders are in the position as shown in Figure 1 or the drawing whereby the placards are visible and a person may readily ascertain by glancing at the placard holder whether or not the tank car has its tank filled with the inflammable liquid. Upon reaching its destinz. tion, the tank car has its tank empty and after the tank has been emptied, the placard holder is reversed by lifting upwardly on the handle 12 so as to cause the transverse pin to disengage the notches l0 and by turning the rod around, so that the placard holder 10 will face the tank 1 the handle is then released and the spring 18 will cause the transverse pin 13 to again seat in the notches 7 it being understood of course that the placard holder is so turned that the transverse pin is in alignment with the notches. In this manner the placard holder will have the placard thereon facing the visible.

The pro v above meat erahle ei-ipei sion ot a placard holder or the )Zltl character, will save consid- '\n A A /l he and tune as well as lanai ind e simplicity of my device enables the s: as to l easily and readily actuated and the par e further so constri teil as to enable the same to be readily div bled whenever necessary.

While I ave shown the preferred embodiment of ny invention, it is to be understood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit oi? the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus descril'ied my invention, what I claim is:-

1. A device of the class described comprising a supporting bracket, a sleeve carried b said bracket, the upper edge of said sleeve having notches provided therein at d ametrically opposite points, an elongated rod extending longitudinally through said sleeve, a placard holder supported on the upper portion of said rod, a handle on the upper end of the rod, a transversely extending pin carried by the upper portion of the rod below the placard holder and adapted to seat .in said notches, and means associated with the rod for preventing the accidental displacement of the pin from said notches.

2. A device of the class described compris in a supporting bracket, a sleeve carried by said bracket, the upper edge of said sleeve having notches provided therein at dian'ietrically opposite points, an elongated rod extending longitudinally through said sleeve, a placard holder supported on the upper portion of said rod, a handle on the upper end of the rod, a transversely extending pin carried by the upper portion of the rod below the placard holder and adapted to seat in said notches, and means associated with the rod for preventing the accidental displacement of the pin from said notches, said means comprising a pair of coacting members mounted on the lower end of said rod, and a coil spring encircling said rod and disposed between said coacting member and normally exerting a downward pull on said rod.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LEO MOFADDEN. 

